


Get'cha head in the game

by thegiggleatafuneral



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School Musical Fusion, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2018-07-26 16:52:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7582153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegiggleatafuneral/pseuds/thegiggleatafuneral
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>High School Musical AU </p><p>Steve is the darling of East High, the basketball captain with everything going for him - looks, the best team he could get, and the entire school's affection.<br/>Bucky is the teen prodigy who's just transferred to the school after Christmas Break.<br/>In the midst of decathlons, basketball matches, musicals, summer jobs and the insurmountable obstacles of high school (including one flamboyant pair of twins hell bent on breaking Steve and Bucky up), the pair find love, self-discovery and maybe a place in this world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Get'cha head in the game

**Author's Note:**

> this is the product of watching HSM 3 at midnight while supposed to be studying (and then crying at how beautiful and perfect it is) and my undying Stucky shipping heart that just tries to fit Stucky in everywhere because Stucky. Is. True. Love.
> 
> disclaimer: this could very well be a disaster

_Sugarloaf Ski Resort, Michigan_

 

The music is deafening and the air stiflingly humid and heavy with the sweat of hundreds of swaying, laughing bodies. It's maddeningly hot and the dim pulses of neon lights make it excruciating to read in the lounge, but Bucky Barnes keeps his eyes on the Calculus textbook on his lap and tries to commit theorems to his memory while simultaneously wishing for the millionth time in his life that he had the ability to turn invisible. 

The party is going on all around him with mad intensity, with the promise of a New Year packed with unimaginable possibilities lingering at the bottom of every cocktail, at the bass rhythm of a song, at the end of every flash of light. Bucky doesn't care - he doesn't feel the excitement for a new year quite like other (normal) people do. He sure as hell knows what's there to expect, with his life being pretty much laid out for him already.

For as long as he remembers, his life has always been a cycle of packing his luggage and flying to new cities; of gifted education programs and entry exams; of jumping grades; of long hours at the stark white light of study table lamps; of the familiar crick in the neck and the writer's bump callus that has never gone away. Bucky knows what this year means for him: a new school (his fifth already), a new science club, and at least 3 more certificates for scientific or research competitions or the like. 

If he actually stopped to think about how his life has been heading, steady and rapid and entirely out of his control, he thinks he might break down or go mad. Because deep down, there's a part of Bucky that yearns to be in the throng of people dancing under the lights, glasses of drink in their hands, laughter loud and carefree. In the quietest moments at night when the world is silent, or in the loudest of atmospheres like right now when all the noise has amalgamated into something senseless and undecipherable, Bucky feels utterly lost and unbearably lonely and frustrated.

The light in his eyes is so blinding and he tries to look back at the diagram on his mathematics book. This time, the light is bright enough for him to read, but it doesn't fade after a few beats. Which is pretty weird. Has the party ended? Did an accident happen? Bucky looks up to the blur of faces to see that everyone is screaming excitedly at him. 

Of course, his mind goes into a blur, and suddenly people are waving him to the stage in the centre of the room and he's being dragged along by excited people. The book is knocked out of his hand, and he desperately tries to find his mother in the crowd but can't. He's so confused that he lets himself be dragged onto the stage, and he takes the moment to glance at the screen. 

It's a set up for a karaoke. Of course. Bucky huffs, annoyed and embarrassed. He hates being in the limelight, he thinks. He knows his singing isn't terrible, but he's never sang in front of anyone before, and he's certainly never volunteered to sing at a karaoke at such a huge party. 

Years of experience being the awkward new kid subjected to scrutinity has Bucky quickly putting on his "cool" face. He casually pushes back his hair with one hand, tucks the other in his jeans pocket and looks at the party crowd where the spotlight is now wandering, in search of his unlucky duet partner. Bucky prays it isn't someone weird. Constantly being dumped with the academics has given him ample chances of interaction with nerds and plain weirdos. 

The light stops at a table filled by one of the loudest, rowdiest groups - definitely sports jocks, by the looks of it - and a tall, blonde haired boy is pushed out and cheered on loudly by his entire group as he makes his way to the stage wearing the same confused expression Bucky probably did. 

It's hard to tell from this distance, but Bucky is fairly sure the guy is gorgeous. His heart drops when the beautiful boy comes up to the stage beside him and yes, he's more than gorgeous. He has to be the most lovely guy Bucky has ever seen (not that Bucky goes around ogling guys) - his eyes are a stunning shade of summer blue and his jaw is so perfectly chiseled, it seems almost unreal. And that chest and those biceps - Bucky can only imagine what they'd look like under that shirt. Not that he would, of course. 

Mr Drop Dead Gorgeous smiles at him, and it sets off a flurry of something warm and static in Bucky's stomach. "Hey, I'm Steve," he introduces. 

"Bucky," Bucky's so used to introducing himself. " 's not my real name, of course." 

Steve chuckles as if Bucky is actually funny, and it's warm and makes his face glow. Bucky can almost feel every photon of light on his face, dancing alive.

Then someone clears his throat, and microphones are thrust into his and Steve's hands. The crowd whoops and cheers, the noise from the group Steve came from noticeable above it all. Steve blushes - it's a faint thing, but Bucky catches it anyway. He turns away, looks back at the crowd, and remembers his abandoned book. 

His facade of calmness chooses this moment to crash, of course. Bucky feels like an insect under a test slide, ready to be examined, and his arms wrap around himself awkwardly, a subconscious action. Suddenly, he can't look at Steve. The music starts playing and his brain white-outs with a wave of panic and - 

 _"Living in my own world, didn't understand."_ Steve is singing, and his smooth voice sounds fabulous amplified by the microphone, the words dropping from him like he's rehearsed them a million times. Bucky wants to disappear so much, he doesn't notice Steve glancing at him, worried and every bit as nervous and awkward. 

 _"That anything can happen, if you take the chance."_  

Bucky closes his eyes. It's scary how the song is speaking right to him, and for some strange reason he'll never understand but will be grateful for years down the road, he leans forward and sings the lines that appear on the screen.

 _"I never believed in what I couldn't see, never opened my heart to all the possibilities."_ It's pure instinct as he shapes the words and pour the sound waves from his throat to the microphone, and all he can do is hope he isn't butchering the tune.

When Steve adds a little  _oh_ in what Bucky thinks is an adorable attempt at harmonizing, Bucky can't stop himself from smiling like an idiot. Steve's bunch of friends are hollering by now, and Bucky feels even more self-conscious when he realises his arms are still around himself. 

There's something therapeutic about singing though, especially when the lights are so beautiful and every time Bucky looks at Steve, he feels something blooming insistently in his chest - something bright and hopeful, and it's pushing his reservedness and doubt away. Bucky doesn't realise when his hands have left his sides and ended up holding the microphone, doesn't realise when he started swaying, but he's face to face with Steve and those eyes have to be the colour of the waters of paradise, he's certain. 

And when the song comes to an end with  _"the start of something... new",_ Bucky feels light and happy and confident in a way he's never felt before. It's so different from the happiness of completing an assignment or finishing a test, or solving a tricky question. He feels alive and overflowing with good vibes, and it's surreal. He can't find it in his mind to grasp onto the moment and capture a snapshot of it, not when he's too dazzled by Steve's smile. 

All around, there's applause, and Steve shakes his hand. "You're pretty good, you know?" His sincerity rolls off him in waves. "I felt like such a toad beside you."

Bucky tries not to shake his head too vigorously. "No way man, I thought you were the good one. I was just trying not to, I don't know, puke or faint." 

Steve laughs. "I almost walked off. After the first 2 lines. 'Cos I thought you were just gonna stand there in silence and let me make a fool of myself alone. But hey, we make a good pair." He walks offstage with Bucky and grabs a drink from the nearest tray. "You wanna head outside for a while? It's too chaotic in here." 

Bucky grabs a drink himself and follows Steve outside. The fireworks will be going off anytime soon, he thinks. But that doesn't feel important compared to this moment right now, being in the presence of the most captivating boy Bucky's ever seen. He's admired both males and females, but Steve seems to be on a whole new level of being. 

"So, are you in high school?" Steve tips the plastic cup and downs half the drink in one gulp. 

"Yeah, junior. You?" 

"Same," Steve grins. "Hey, happy new year. I'd love to stay and chat with you, but I promised my pals I'd catch the fireworks with them." 

Bucky nods and smiles, carefully ignoring the sudden pang in his heart. For all the chemical reactions and theorems and laws he remembers, his brain couldn't work well enough tonight to remind him that he'll never see this stranger who made him feel things he's never felt before again. It feels all too cruel suddenly. Until Steve is passing Bucky his phone. "Hey, gimme your number. Would love to stay in touch with you." 

With trembling fingers and a palpitating heart, Bucky types in his number and hands the phone back to Steve, who promptly snaps a picture of Bucky without any warning.

"For caller ID," he explains. Bucky's phone vibrates a second later, and it's from an unknown number. Steve waves his phone in Bucky's face - "Save my number, okay? I'll talk to you soon. See you around, Bucky." He's turning and leaving, and waves when Bucky calls out "Nice meeting ya, Steve!" 

The call on his phone cuts off and the vibrations die out. The world feels just a bit smaller now, and he sees his mother in the distance, his lost book in her hands. "Firework time, honey!" 

He swallows his disappointment and walks towards her, and together they join the crowd in celebrating a new year Bucky has no zero anticipation for.


End file.
